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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26684866">A change of faces</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flowarecup/pseuds/Flowarecup'>Flowarecup</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:35:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,844</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26684866</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flowarecup/pseuds/Flowarecup</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate world, where Aziraphale and Crowley did not manage to decipher Agnes's prophecy and end up facing the wrath of heaven and hell. To Crowley's surprise the holy water had an unintentional influence on him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, people! As we all are sitting at home, stuck in these strange times I decided to write a little story.<br/>I am only at a beginner level with writing and I seriously want to improve, so constructive criticism is appreciated.<br/>Should you notice a strange use of words or grammar fell free to tell me, because english is not my first language and as you may have noticed I don't only want to write but improve my skills.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h3>Chapter I</h3>
<p>Crowley watched in horror as the water was poured into the tub. Maybe he should have listened to Aziraphale's ideas regarding the prophecy. But it was a human prophecy. What truth could there be within it? They never where right with any prophecy so why this one? Even if that Agnes Nutter had been right about where the Antichrist lives, or maybe she hadn't been and Aziraphale had just interpreted her prophecies in a way that made sense in the end.<br/></p><p>Aziraphale. The last time Crowley had seen the angel had been in his flat, where he had tried to convince him to stop thinking about the prophecy and rather drink on their supposed victory. And the next morning Aziraphale had walked away to check if any other book might have survived the fire, or if the shop had been revived as the Bentley had been.<br/></p><p>Crowley hadn't accompanied his angel. The last day's had been to much for him and he had needed some rest. So they had agreed to meet for dinner. Crowley already had planned to buy some wine before that and leave it in the fridge to wait for their return. They could have drank together while he showed Aziraphale some new movie adaption of a book he liked, just to tease him. But instead the bottle of wine – or the crushed shards – laid in a red puddle on the pavement, where he had been abducted.<br/>
He should have known. Hell never would have let him slither away that easily. He probably had been lucky they didn't wait until the evening. They would have killed Aziraphale on sight. At least now he wouldn't have to live without him, but leaving him alone felt incredible cruel. That meant as long as heaven would leave him alone. Although Crowley himself had learned how unforgiving they could be he still couldn't shake of his hope. No, he would be alright. He had to. Crowley tried to convince himself, because if not, it would be his fault.<br/>
He wanted to reason with his thoughts, how dying was probably better than living without him and the guilt of being the reason for his death, however his survival instinct kicked in when Hastur grabbed a lower ranked demon and threw him into the tub. The demon screamed in agony and a few seconds later they were gone.<br/></p><p>
“W-wait! Why's he allowed to kill a demon and I'm not?”, Crowley asked in panic and tried to shove Hastur away, who came towards him with a malicious smile.<br/>
“Becausse I ssay so.”, Beelzebub answered and glared at Crowley.<br/>
“Alright, so next time I'll make sure to ask first. Although there's the saying: It's better to ask forgiveness than for permission.”<br/>
“Hastur, get it over with! He's getting on my nerves.”<br/>
“No! We always had kind of a friendship, didn't we, Hastur?”<br/>
“We didn't”, the froglike demon answered and hit Crowley in the face. His legs gave in and he would have fallen, if Hastur didn't grab his arm. “Don't worry, I'll help you walk.”, Hastur laughed Crowley felt the panic in his chest grow, enough to make him unable to feel the pain in his cheek.<br/>
“Leave me. It won't happen again! I swear. I'll pick up my stuff and go somewhere else. No one would find me, okay?” Crowley hated himself for pleading, but every part of him refused to accept his sentence. He had closed his eyes, but he could feel the edge of the tub against his leg. How he wished he could have played it of. But why even try if his life would end a few seconds from now.<br/>
Hastur pulled him close and whispered: “Sure it wont happen again. Because Ligur is already dead. By the way, right now you look like the pathetic little shit you are.” In an last attempt to safe himself Crowley looked at Michael, who just stood there and watched unmoved.<br/>
“Get in there.”<br/>
Crowley glared at him and hissed: “ You know, actually it's an relieve to die. Because now I won't ever have to look at your horrid style of fashion ever again.”<br/>
“It's hard to believe clothes are that important to you right now, when you are shivering like a little child.”, Hastur gave him a push and quickly took a step back, to not get any drops of holy water on himself.<br/></p><p>Crowley just wished his head would hit the tub and he'd black out, but he didn't and had to feel everything. From the moment he hit the surface there was nothing but pain. The essence of the holy water rushed into him and he could feel it hollow him out. He felt his body scream under water, without making a sound. At first it had felt like being burned, but turned into an uncomfortable prickle. The pain he felt probably would have been enough to kill any human being. But his body clung to existence. At some point he felt tears run down his cheek. Somehow it didn't look as bad when Ligur and the dragon had died. At least it would be over after this, not like the fall, when he had to adjust himself to being something else than an angel. Angel. If heaven would indeed leave him alone, Aziraphale would wait to be picked up and he'd never know what had happened.<br/></p><p>Somehow he managed to grab the side of the tub and pulled himself up. This should not have been possible. At least Ligur didn't look like he could grab things. Puddles of goo normally didn't do something like that. The demons around Crowley also didn't look to happy about him still being concious enough to do that and he heard some panicking screams behind the glass window. Dagon glared at Michael, who looked just as confused as the rest of them.<br/></p><p>
"What's that supposed to mean? Why isn't he dead?”<br/>
“I don't know.”, Michael answered and looked at Beelzebub for help.<br/>
“Get more water. Maybe it has lost his effect to soon, after we've used it on another demon before.” Michael obeyed and tilted her carafe over Crowley's head. Holy water poured out of it and over Crowley's head. It felt like standing in the pouring rain, but otherwise Crowley didn't notice an impact.<br/>
“That's impossible.”, she gasped and stopped pouring.<br/>
“Try it again.”, Beelzebub commanded, they turned ashen as they watched Crowley spit out some water. Michael tried again and Crowley started to get annoyed. He was as surprised as they were, but the situation had turned to his benefit and he would make the best use of it. Again the holy water showed no impact and when Michael stopped he pulled of his glasses and wiped some wet strands of hair out of his forehead.<br/>
“Again!”<br/>
“I don't believe that's necessary. “, Crowley stood up and climbed out of the tub. He was dripping wet and shook his head, sending drops of holy water flying in every direction and made Hastur scream.<br/>
“So if you don't mind I'm heading off. Should you ever consider bothering us again, think again.” Crowley knew he wouldn't give an answer. No one in all the depths of hell could fully understand what had just happened and neither did he. He turned and walked away, still a little unsteady, but he would never admit it now that he had survived certain death.<br/></p><p>Only when he had made it out of hell he had noticed his clothes. They had too had changed and turned white, bleached by the holy water. He stepped outside the building, eyes fixated on the arms of his jacket, not noticing how he walked right into a woman and made her spill her coffee. She yelled at him and he stared at her. Normally he would have felt her anger resonate in every cell of his corporation, but he wasn't able to feel anything. Crowley took a step back and just stared at her, not able to think of a respond. A man grabbed her arm and lead her away from him.<br/>
“Just ignore him, babe. He's probably just a junkie.”<br/>
“You are right.”, although she had a coffee stained shirt she smiled at her boyfriend as they walked away. Strangely something in the way she looked him made Crowley feel like he had to vomit.<br/>
But it got worse when she finished what she said: “I can't stay angry with you around. I love you.”<br/>
Every cell in Crowley's corporation rebelled against the wave that poured out of her, even though he was only hit by the outer ripples. Suddenly he felt very cold and noticed a soft shiver in his limbs. He managed to turn towards a patch of grass before he vomited.<br/>
“See, I told you. Dammed junkies.”<br/></p><p>Crowley could not remember a time he had been embarrassed like this. Not even Aziraphale's magic tricks had been this bad, not even when he had been a beginner and failed every time. They were only human though, so after only a few decades no one would remember anyway. Besides there were more important things to do. He had to find Aziraphale. Warn him that Heaven might be after him, too. What if they already had taken him? Crowley didn't want to think about it, but he didn't knew how long he had been gone or where to search for Aziraphale. The bookshop had been burnt down maybe he had left immediately after finding his home destroyed. Maybe he had gone to some restaurant or a library or even Crowley's flat, after all it was the only place he could be sure to find Crowley. But what if he had come back and not found him, where would Aziraphale go then? If they didn't take him.<br/></p><p>Finally he had made up his mind to go to the remains of the bookshop first. It was the only place he could think of starting at. Crowley snapped his fingers to send for his Bentley, but nothing happened. He tried again. Still no Bentley came driving around the corner.<br/>
“Shit.”, he rolled his eyes. Whatever had just happened, he hadn't recovered from it yet. If he had money he could have waved for one of the passing taxis, but he didn't. After thinking about it for a few minutes he gave in to the thought of sitting in a crowded train. Everything was better than walking there.<br/></p><p>He'd managed to make it without getting caught fare-dodging and was quite relieved to exit the underground station and get to ground level again.<br/>
He knew the way to the bookshop in and out, he probably was able to get there blindfolded, he did manage to find it while being totally wasted, still he took some detours. Unsure what he would find. Well what he did find has come as an surprise. The bookshop looked just like it used to a few days ago, when he had dropped Aziraphale off.<br/></p><p>But apparently Crowley had not been the only one to be hesitant about going to the bookshop. Already from the end of the street he noticed a figure, it stood before the shop's door and did nothing but look at it. Blond hair, black clothes. Crowley felt his heart drop. He looked down at his white – although coffee stained – shirt. He couldn't tell if he'd taken to long to warn him, but Aziraphale lingered there for many minutes, without moving. Maybe he had been abducted when he went to the bookshop earlier today.<br/>
Crowley noticed how long he had stood there and watched him and finally built up the courage to walk towards him. Aziraphale in turn must have noticed something odd in the reflection in the windows and turned around.<br/></p><p>“Crowley!” He stopped across the street and watched as the tears dropped from Azirphale's eyes.<br/>
“Angel, I came here to warn you, but I might be to late.”<br/>
“Indeed... but I'm afraid I'm not an angel any more.”<br/>
“Why are you not going inside?”, Crowely asked and raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore the first part of what he had just heard.<br/>
“I was inside, earlier today, but...someone already waited for me...W-we could go together if you don't mind, of course.”<br/>
“I did run in there when it was burning, so I believe I'd like to make sure everything is alright.”, Crowley made his way across the street and felt something in the air around him change with every step he took closer.<br/></p><p>Aziraphale was still crying, but something in his eyes lit up. It always did when he recognised Crowley, ever since they agreed on the arrangement. Crowley remembered how the angel had fought internally to agree to it. But afterwards he always had calmed down noticeably whenever Crowley appeared beside him.<br/></p><p>“I was terrified something could have happened to you, dear. I didn't knew what to do.” The air around Crowley felt like he was walking against a wall. Not a physical one but there was something there that made moving hard. Similar to the feeling earlier, with the coffee woman only a lot stronger.<br/>
He had felt nauseous since Aziraphale had noticed him but as he stepped closer it got worse. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, it felt warm and full of hope and unconditionally and... The next thing Crowley did was vomit right in front of Aziraphale's feet.<br/>
“I'm so sorry, angel.”, he wished he could disappear to change what just had happened. To his surprise Aziraphale reached out a hand to steady him.<br/>
“Oh, dear... at least it will repel possible costumers."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. II</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Although Crowley and Aziraphale both recently had made some unpleasant memories inside the shop (or its burning remains), being together after what had happened felt reassuring. Crowley had noticed how hesitant Aziraphale looked like after offering to make a cup of tea for them. Only after he had gone ahead he stopped fidgeting with his hands and followed him to the kitchen, where Crowley made sure to keep some noticeable distance between them.<br/>
“Everything feels so different.”, Aziraphale noticed and watched the kettle, like it needed some encouraging to boil the water inside.<br/>
“Yeah... Your blasted bookshop feels so damn loved I could vomit again.”, Crowley answered from the other end of the kitchen.<br/>
Aziraphale didn't take the bait but pointed at a door to their right.<br/>
“There is a bathroom over there, should you need it.”<br/>
“Well thank you. How kind.”, Crowley rolled his eyes. “Anyway, I tried to miracle something and it didn't work, so...”<br/>
“You tried for the wrong source I guess... Why is your hair damp, dear?”<br/>
“How do you think they bleached the hell out of me? Literally.”<br/>
“Holy water?”<br/>
“Yes and honestly you smell like you spend some time at a bonfire, which I doubt. So... Hellfire?”<br/>
Aziraphale nodded, his eyes were still fixating the kettle.<br/>
“Why aren't we dead though?”, Crowley finally managed to voice out the question, which had been running through his head, since he had excited the bathtub.<br/>
“I don't think that matters now. It's done and we are safe.”, Aziraphale let out a deep breath, “I don't know what I would have done without you.”<br/>
Crowley managed to dodge behind a bookshelf to avoid any positive feeling that might shoot into his direction.<br/>
“No, positivity, okay?”<br/>
“Excuse me, Crowley. You only feel nauseous, whereas I want nothing more than to go to bed and cry my eyes out.”<br/>
“I'm sorry, angel. But I never vomited, ever before. And now it happened two times in a day. And whoever invented this protection mechanism hopefully rebelled and fell. Because they don't deserve any better than that.”<br/>
Crowley hoped for some kind of remark, but it didn't came. The redhead carfully peeked around the corner of the bookshelf.<br/>
“Don't call me that.”, all happiness had left the tone of his voice and Crowley dared to leave his hideout.<br/>
“What makes you so sure you're not an angel anymore?”, he wanted to know and leaned against the counter.<br/>
“Because I know how....”, Aziraphale was interrupted by the whistle of the kettle.  He took it and pored the hot water into a teapot.<br/>
“What should I call you then? Do you want to change your name? Azirastopheles? Azirabub!”<br/>
“Don't be ridiculous.”, Aziraphale answered and smiled for the first time today.<br/>
“What about Azirafell?”<br/>
“Oh, that would be a tad to bold, don't you think? Just like calling yourself Crawly and hanging around Eden as a snake.” 
“Yeah, how pathetic?”, Crowley smiled, pleased with himself and how he cheered him up, at least a bit.<br/>
“Why did you change your name though? You could just have kept the one she gave you.”, Aziraphale asked and picked some cups from the cupboard.<br/>
“Well... keeping it after she'd kicked me out didn't feel right. Sometimes change helps to forget... doesn't mean you have to change yours.”<br/>
Aziraphale didn't know what to answer and so they enjoyed their tea in silence.<br/>
</p><p> “Are you feeling any better?”, Aziraphale finally asked after what felt like hours.<br/>
“Not really. It's like a background noise. Like... The noises of other customers in a café, it's there but it doesn't affect me that much unless you give me some funny looks.”<br/>
“Well now you know why it feels a bit overwhelming when a demon appears by your side and looks at you like you are a delicious fruit basket.”<br/>
“Don't get the two of us confused. I would never look at a fruit basket like that.”, Crowley started to feel like they could get back to there old habits and laid back on the sofa. Like all those times before. Like he wasn't wearing white clothes and didn't feel all the love around him.<br/>
“Let's be honest though. Right now we both feel like shit.”<br/>
“That's a rather non angelic way to speak.”, Aziraphale noticed.<br/>
“Fuck all this, okay? We both should have died only a few hours ago. Do we really need to pretend everything's fine? I don't want to be an angel again and the amount of love and positive emotions I can feel since then are horrible. I'd rather have you chase me away than get offered another cup of tea or blanket.”<br/>
“But you took both.”<br/>
“And I feel like shit, this only proofs my point.”, Crowley sat down his empty cup on the table and wrapped the blanket closer around himself.
Aziraphale didn't answer and Crowley realized why.<br/>
“Angel, I don't want to pretend I know how you are feeling. But I know how it feels like to fall from grace. I don't want to play your feelings down, but right know you only can feel your own horrible thoughts, and maybe mine. It was the same for us, maybe even worse. There was nothing but agony around us. Misery, the feeling of betrayal, all of that. There was no one to drink tea with or offer blankets to.  Hell's like a blanket of bad emotions, everyone can feel it and it adds to their own bad feelings. Right after the fall it probably had been the worst... Although we discovered lust shortly after...But I can promise you it will get better. Your are still able to feel your own emotions, happiness, love.... you just need to listen more carefully”<br/>
Crowley hadn't noticed how he sat up and took Aziraphale's hand.
Aziraphale turned his head and looked directly at Crowley. A smile crept on the redheads face. A soft wave of love reached him, like soft waves at the side of a small stream that one had sunk their feet in. A second later, when a second and more powerful one hit him he regretted what he had just said. Without thinking twice he made his way to the toilet.<br/>
</p><p>As he hung over the porcelain seat he could hear steps come closer.<br/>
“You're an awful sight for an angel.”, Aziraphale noted and handed him a glass of water, which Crowley gladly took to rinse his mouth with.<br/>
“And you're way to kind for a demon.”, Crowley remarked and spat it out again. He let himself fall on the ground and snapped his fingers to flush the toilet. It didn't work and Aziraphale pulled the lever before he laid down next to him and covered them both with the blanket, which he had brought with him. Crowley saw how Aziraphale reached out a hand and shoved it away with his arm.<br/>
“Sorry, angel. No touching.”<br/>
“Don't call me that.”<br/>
“I told you,  you still are to me and a different wing colour doesn't change who we are or our motivations.”<br/>
“Well excuse me for not being as content with this situation as you are.”<br/>
“I'm not content ´bout anything. But we should focus our energy on the question how it happened. Ligur looked pretty liquidy to me... and they killed another demon before me. They didn't turn back into an angel. So why me?”<br/>
“Weren't you the one who went on about how all of this doesn't change who we are? Why bother with asking questions.”<br/>
Crowley raised an eyebrow.<br/>
“Normally you are the one who likes to puzzle things out. Why aren't you concerned in the slightest? You said we should think about the prophecy. I was against it, and that's how we ended here.”<br/>
“I just don't care. Prophecies don't matter. If they are true, they will happen either way.”<br/>
Crowley sat up and looked at Aziraphale. He wasn't sure about what to answer. It sounded like a lie, but as a demon lies felt much more different. He could be imagining things. But before Crowley could pressure Aziraphale into an answer, the demon changed the topic.<br/>
“At least we have each other and surely heaven and hell won't bother us anymore. How about we get somewhere more comfortable. Sofa or bedroom?”<br/>
“The bedroom? Did I spark some ideas when I talked about lust earlier?”, Crowley laughed and laid an arm around Aziraphale, only to retreat it immediately and hold a hand on his stomach.<br/>
“Actually I'm just exhausted and lying on the bathroom floor feels like another lowpoint of my existence.”<br/>
“Okay. There're rules though: No touching, no love, no... being nice to each other in any way.”<br/>
“I see why we shouldn't touch if it's causing you to throw up, but why shouldn't we be nice to each other? Isn't that a bit immoderate?”<br/>
“Just some precautions. Would you fetch us some wine, angel? I feel like this evening can't get worse. We could at least make the best out of it.”<br/>
“Red or white?”<br/>
“Whatever you prefer. I'll wait upstairs.”, Crowley grabbed the blanket, wrapped himself in it and walked away.<br/>
</p><p>Crowley rolled his eyes at the sighed of the tartan bedsheets and let himself fall onto the bed with a sigh. He should have suspected this. The room was exactly how he imagined it to be. Tartan bedsheets and curtains, a soft carpet, old-fashioned furniture and books. Everywhere.<br/>
“Don't say a word about it.”, Aziraphale noted the glare Crowley shoot towards the pillow and sat down at the other side of the bed.<br/>
“'m not saying anything.”<br/>
“So what's your plan for tonight?”, Aziraphale asked and filled two glasses with wine.<br/>
“Why do you believe I have a plan?”<br/>
Crowley sat up, grabbed a glass form his hand and took a sip.<br/>
“I guess I just hoped you would have one.”<br/>
“Let's just celebrate how we got away with a black eye.”<br/>
“You maybe... The fire ruined my coat. Black isn't exactly my colour.”<br/>
Crowley smiled softly and snapped his fingers. The coat changed it's colour back to beige immediately.<br/>
“I thought you said something about not being nice to each other.”<br/>
“I'm never nice. I'm thwarting your demonic fashion style.”<br/>
“Crowley!”, Aziraphale noticed how the bedsheets had changed to beige as well. Crowley chuckled and Aziraphale had to fight the smile which creept on his lips.<br/>
“Hey, I sad no love.”<br/>
“I'm sorry, dear. But I must admit you look beautiful when you smile.”, Aziraphale blushed and smiled at his glass. “You should do it more often.”<br/>
“Stay at my side and I maybe I will smile for your entertainment.”, Crowley smirked and rested his back against the headboard.<br/>
“I endured your company for 6000 years. Why would I run away know?”<br/>
Crowley watched Aziraphale lean closer, shifting his weight on his right hand and flinch. The angel raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.<br/>
“What was that?”<br/>
“N-nothing.  Don't be nice to each other, remember?”, Aziraphale panicked and held his hand close to his chest.<br/>
“Come on, you know I didn't meant it like that. Let me see it.”, Crowley sat his glass on the nightstand and reached out a hand.<br/>
“You'll only feel sick again.”<br/>
“An- Aziraphale, cut the crap and work with me.”<br/>
Hesitantly the demon allowed Crowley to take his hand and turn it around. The inside of his fingers and parts of his palm were read. Crowley sighed and hovered his other hand over Aziraphale's.<br/>
“Seriously? The first thing you do as I turn my back to you is try to touch one of your bibles?”<br/>
“You don't understand what they mean to me. I loved collecting them and now...”<br/>
“And now we'll just leave them in some showcase, don't touch them and they will be in a better condition than ever before. Here. Be glad I learned how to heal someone back in the old days.”<br/>
Aziraphale looked at his hand and watched Crowley hover his own over it. A bright light emerged from his palm, forcing Aziraphale to look away.<br/>
“That should do the trick.”, Crowley released his hand and leaned back, acting like nothing had happened.<br/>
Aziraphale looked at his hand. Looking back at the past millennia there weren't many times he had been touched. He had been imprisoned by humans multiple times, Crowley himself had slammed him against a wall to intimidate him and he had been hurt and imprisoned by angels. He tried to remember some more instances and started to recall some more times he and Crowley had touched. They all had been connected to alcohol in some way. Looking back with his new situation, those times must have meant a lot to Crowley, who wasn't used to being loved, and every time Aziraphale had jumped and shied away. Even though he had been the one to know of both their feelings. Only now Crowley could know about his.<br/>
“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so distant all this time.”<br/>
“Wh-what are you talking about?”, Crowley asked nervously and downed his wine.<br/>
“There's no use in denying my feelings for you, anymore. But knew about yours, all those years. Had I known how miserable being a demon could make you feel. I shouldn't have left you alone. I should at least have told you.”<br/>
“Angel, who knows what heaven would have done to you.”<br/>
Crowley noticed a guilty impression making its way on Aziraphale's face.<br/>
“Being with you has been enough. I reckon no other demon could claim an angel as their friend. Most of you would have attacked without any questions.”<br/>
</p><p> He was right. Aziraphale knew it. But still, all the things they could have done. All these lost days, weeks, or years they had spent apart. Suddenly he couldn't imagine to leave Crowley ever again. A thought crossed Aziraphales mind. 
He hesitated before he asked: “You mentioned lust being the only positive thing in hell so I suppose you are experienced at... physical... intimacy.”<br/>
Crowley's mouth dropped open and he struggled with his answer. Sitting in Aziraphale's bed together felt strangely intimate, but talking about sex was a whole different matter.<br/>
“W-well yes. After the fall we really didn't have something to do. We felt lonely and cast out so.... Why do you believe it took us so long to get into action?We were busy touching each other and Lilith encouraged us to try more. Don't look so jealous. It wasn't about someone in particular, or sharing an emotional bond with someone....more like feeling anything else instead of misery and confusion.”<br/>
Crowley looked hurt and Aziraphale had to keep himself from pointing out how he was in no way jealous, and instead laid a hand on Crowley's shoulder. Indulging in the nice, warm feeling below his fingers.<br/>
“I didn't mean to remind you of anything. I actually just wanted to know if you ever have kissed someone.”<br/>
“Well yes, helps to set the mood. But I've never done it ever since, I promise. Would've been strange after I met you.”<br/>
“Why?”<br/>
“Because meeting you made me realise I still could feel something positive, beside lust. Like... I always felt like I could trust you. Even though we were on opposite sides. We'll sort things out and find a way to change back, angel. ”<br/>
Aziraphale didn't say anything but filled their glasses again with shaky hands. The dull feeling of alcohol finally started to set in and numb his emotions. 
Crowley knew him for long enough to notice how much faster than normally he drank. Hopefully he would ask any more questions. But Crowley didn't.<br/>
“What's bothering you?”<br/>
“Nothing.”<br/>
Crowley had watched a lot of tv shows. To many, to not notice somthing was off.<br/>
“Come on. I can't feel it any more, but I sure know that face of yours.”<br/>
Aziraphale hesitated and emptied his glass in one go and filled it up again. He should have told him already. Somehow Aziraphale was sure he already had passed the point, at which he should have opened his mouth and told the truth.<br/>
“I should have told you... “<br/>
“About what you had found out about the antichrist. Yes, you should have.”<br/>
“No, I mean yes, that too.”<br/>
Aziraphale felt a tear roll down his cheek and wiped it away.<br/>
“Angel, let's just forget about it, okay? We made it through the apocalypse and being killed by heaven and hell. The last thing I want right now is a fight with you.”<br/>
Crowley gulped down his wine and stood up.<br/>
“I can understand when you want to leave...”<br/>
“Why would I leave you? I only believe you had enough wine for today. Alcohol never makes you feel better, just a different kind of horrible. Do you mind if I stay the night? I still don't know how to get the Bentley to come to me and I'm not riding on public transport ever again.”<br/>
“O-of course you can.”, Aziraphale still felt nervous about it. They had spent the past night together in Crowley's flat, but not in one bed though. Maybe he could slip out of the room and sort threw his books once Crowley was asleep.<br/>
“Great, thank you. You don't mind, do you?”<br/>
</p><p>Crowley pulled of his glasses and threw them on the nightstand next to him, took of his jacket and threw it on a chest on the end of the bed.
Aziraphale watched him unbutton his shirt and felt something in his chest heat up.<br/>
“No love!”, Crowley growled and pulled the shirt of.<br/>
“Sorry... w-what are you doing? You didn't undress like this yesterday.”<br/>
“Yes, I normally wear pyjamas. I don't have one here and I don't want to sleep in this.”, he gestured at his white clothes.<br/>
“First drawer of the wardrobe.”<br/>
“Wha'?”<br/>
Crowley stopped to unbutton his shirt to look at him in confusion.<br/>
“Just open it. They reminded me of you, so I bought them...I hope they fit.”, Crowley noticed the blush on Aziraphales cheeks and turned away towards the wardrobe to open the drawer. The first thing to catch his eye was a black satin pyjama with yellow rubber ducks all over them.
Crowley looked at them and then at Aziraphale and rolled his eyes.<br/>
“Oh no, I should have known you wouldn't like them. Way to playful for your style.”<br/>
“They're alright. You need to turn around talking about lust earlier still feels a bit suspicious.”<br/>
They weren't just alright. Crowley loved them, but he'd never admit it.<br/>
“I'll leave you for a moment.”<br/>
“Angel, it was a joke.”<br/>
“N-no. I'll just go and put the wine into the fridge.”<br/>
“Alright.”, Crowley watched Aziraphale hurry away, with a worried look.<br/>
He listened to Aziraphale's footsteps on the stairs while he changed into the duck pyjama. 
The bloody holy water definitely had ruined everything. White never had been his colour. He struggled to get out of his trousers, tossed them to his shirt and played around with the thought of going shopping the next day or maybe he could just go through his old stuff and mix and match a nice outfit together.
He put on the pyjama and let himself fall back on the bed.<br/>
</p><p>Aziraphale stopped at the end of the stairs and took a long look at the dark figure in the room. They stood in front of a bookshelf and skimmed through the pages of a book, grabbing the next after they had reached the end.<br/>
“Your are early.”, Aziraphale noted and felt a cold shiver run down his spine.<br/>
TIME HAS NO MEANING FOR ME<br/>
“I suppose.”, Aziraphale cleared his throat and turned his ring nervously.<br/>
I TOULD YOU, YOU WOULD'T LIKE IT.<br/>
“You did indeed. But I had no other alternative.”<br/>
HAVE YOU TOLD HIM YET?<br/>
“No, not yet. B-but I'm sure he will understand.”<br/>
Aziraphale wasn't to sure about it, but the person didn't need to know. They probably didn't even want to know, just some nice conversation, before they would discuss payment.<br/>
SURE<br/>
“Which one would you like?”<br/>
THIS ONE<br/>
He had an exquisite collection and somehow Aziraphale had hoped they would at least take some time to decide, but apparently their interest in books wasn't as deep as his. It still was one of his bibles though and the demon hesitated.<br/>
“Are you sure? I have many others. Go ahead and take a look around. We've got plenty of time.”, he said with  smile and fidgeted his ring, trying to look content.<br/>
I WANT THIS ONE<br/>
They repeated and floated closer to the shelve with the bibles.<br/>
“Alright.”, Aziraphale swallowed hard and took a nervous step towards the shelve. He grabbed his keys and opened the shelve. It took him three tries, but he eventually opened it.<br/>
“Here. The Buggre-Alle-this Bible.”, he said and pulled it out. Holding it tight, before he built up the courage to hand it over.<br/>
“Bilton and Scaggs, if I remember correctly. They used to work next door and... Wait!”<br/>
Aziraphale tried to reach out, in horror.<br/>
Death hadn't waited for him to explain every detail about the bible they had just obtained. Instead of cherishing the book, or reading it, they had laid it on their hand and burned it.<br/>
“Why would you do this?”, Aziraphale asked with tears in his eyes. He reached out a hand to steady himself against one of the many shelves.<br/>
I HAVE NO USE FOR WORLDLY OBJECTS. GOODBYE<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here we are again. I'm sorry it took me so long, life happend, but I promise I'll try to upload sooner. I hope you are doing well, wherever you are reading this.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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